Table 2 Use of Herbal medicines among study participants
Variables | Frequency N = 500 | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Ever used HM | 492 | 98.4 |
Currently using HM at health facility | 211 | 42.2 |
Hope to use HM at health facility | 429 | 85.8 |
Herbal medicine is usual treatment option | 231 | 46.2 |
Member of your family currently use HM, Yes | 210 | 42.0 |
Member of your family ever provided care with HM, Yes | 358 | 71.6 |
Medium of accessing HM apart from health facility | ||
− Pharmaceutical pre-packaged dosage forms | 271 | 54.2 |
− Herbalist/spiritual healer formulations | 41 | 8.2 |
− Self-prepared formulations | 169 | 33.8 |
− Other | 19 | 3.8 |
Place HM are purchased (n = 492) | ||
− Hospital | 18 | 3.7 |
− Pharmaceutical stores | 237 | 49.0 |
− Supermarket | 3 | 0.6 |
− Market places | 107 | 22.1 |
− Itinerant | 32 | 6.6 |
− Other | 87 | 18.0 |
Preferred source of HM products | ||
− Pharmaceutical pre-packaged dosage forms | 278 | 55.6 |
− Herbalist/spiritual healer formulations | 23 | 4.6 |
− Self-prepared formulations. | 174 | 34.8 |
− Other | 25 | 5.0 |
Frequency of use of HM as treatment option (n = 496) | ||
− Only when sick | 279 | 55.8 |
− Regularly | 79 | 15.8 |
− Occasional | 112 | 24.4 |
− Other | 30 | 6.0 |
Number of times visited health facility in past 12 months | ||
− Median | 2 | |
− Range | 0–15 | |
Number of times sought herbal treatment from facility in last 12 months | ||
− Median | 2 | |
− Range | 0–9 | |
Cost of HM usage at the facility, GHC | ||
− Median | 15.00 | |
− Range | 0.00–500.00 | |
Perception about cost of seeking HM | ||
− Affordable | 263 | 52.6 |
− Not affordable | 138 | 27.6 |
− Reasonable | 99 | 19.8 |
Source of payment when use HM to treat your health condition | ||
− Family members | 22 | 4.4 |
− Self-financing | 363 | 72.6 |
− No money required | 86 | 17.2 |
− Other | 29 | 5.8 |
Length of time spent to access HM services at the facility (minutes) (n = 450) | ||
− <30 | 319 | 63.8 |
− 30–60 | 131 | 26.2 |
− Median | 20.00 | |
− Range | 0.00–60.00 | |